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Mayank Khamesra’s path into guiding wasn’t planned. A love of languages pulled him in first, before travellers and their questions gave him a new direction.
After school, he studied French intensively, even spending several months living just outside Avignon. “At the time, I thought I’d be a teacher,” he says. But life had other plans.
When he returned home to Udaipur, in Rajasthan, India, he met some French visitors. Discovering he could converse fluently in their language, they invited him to join them as they explored the city.
“At first I knew nothing about my hometown’s history,” he admits, “but they weren’t asking for dates or dynasties. They just wanted company, someone to chat with.
“After two days with them, I felt guilty that I hadn’t been able to explain more. It was my city, after all. So, I started reading, studying and learning the history and legends of Udaipur.”
That curiosity proved decisive. Nine years of guiding cemented his experience, and in 2017, he joined Exodus.
Mayank smiles as he reflects on how tourism has always been part of his family’s story.
“My father used to work in tourism too, running a textile shop for visitors,” he says. “So, in some ways, I was carrying that connection forward.
“The more I learned, the more I realised guiding was the perfect way to share my love for India. We have so many stories here – and someone needs to tell them.”
One of those stories towers above the rest: Diwali. For Mayank, no festival better encapsulates India’s spirit.
“Diwali is the most social time of the year,” he says. “It’s when families gather, neighbours open their doors, and even strangers are welcomed in. It’s the Hindu New Year for many, so it’s all about fresh beginnings. India has a festival almost every day of the year,” he adds with a wry smile, “but Diwali is the one that unites everyone.”
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To understand Diwali, Mayank insists you have to start with the Ramayana, the great Hindu epic.
He tells it with the fluency of someone who has shared it countless times, his voice carrying the rhythm of a tale that has been passed down for thousands of years.
Lord Rama, the seventh incarnation of Vishnu, was heir to the throne of Ayodhya. But on the eve of his coronation, a jealous stepmother demanded he be exiled for 14 years, insisting her own son, Bharat, be crowned king. Rama accepted the decree without protest.
“That’s what makes him so relatable,” Mayank explains. “He was an incarnation of a god, yes, but he lived as a man. He is one of the only gods who didn’t have supernatural powers. Everything he did, he did with discipline and humanity. People could see themselves in him.”
So, Rama went into exile, accompanied by his devoted wife Sita and his loyal brother Lakshmana. The years passed peacefully until Sita was kidnapped by Ravana, the demon king of Lanka. Ravana was no ordinary villain.
“He was one of the most learned men of his age,” Mayank points out. “A great devotee of Shiva, highly knowledgeable, but with destructive demon instincts. In Hinduism, demons aren’t horned creatures. They’re people whose instincts lean towards ego, greed, and destruction. Gods, meanwhile, are those who act for others, with restraint and compassion.”
Rama pursued Ravana southwards, aided by Hanuman, the monkey god and incarnation of Shiva, who became his greatest devotee. Together with Hanuman’s monkey army, they built a bridge to Lanka, fought a nine-day battle, and on the tenth day defeated Ravana. Twenty days later, Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana returned to Ayodhya. The people lit rows of oil lamps to welcome them home, celebrating the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil. That night of illumination became Diwali.
“The beauty of Rama’s story,” Mayank says, “is that it’s not just mythology. It’s a reminder of human values: patience, loyalty, humility. Diwali celebrates those values every year.”
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In practice, the festival is as much about households as it is about heroes. Preparations begin weeks in advance.
“Every home is cleaned from top to bottom,” Mayank explains. “Belongings are sorted, and unnecessary things are given to charity. It’s like untangling the knots in your life. Even the walls get a fresh coat of paint. It’s about creating space for new beginnings. I go back on tours in October, so my wife wants me to start preparations early this year!”
On the day itself, families decorate their doorsteps with rangoli, circular patterns made with coloured powders or flower petals. “They’re beautiful designs, like mandalas,” Mayank says.
“They’re a sign of welcome, especially for Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity. The belief is that she only enters clean, well-kept homes. Rangoli is like an invitation to step inside.”
And then there are the lamps. Traditionally, they’re lit with ghee, clarified butter, which burns cleanly and fills the air with a faint, sweet aroma. Thousands glow on rooftops, in courtyards, along streets and temples.
“These days, of course, fairy lights and electric candles have joined in,” Mayank concedes, “but the principle is the same: spreading light.”
No Indian festival is complete without food, and Diwali is a feast for the sweet-toothed. And joining one of our India holidays means tasting it all. “Every region has its speciality,” Mayank says. “In Rajasthan, it’s gujiya, a fried pastry filled with nuts and dried fruit. Elsewhere, you’ll find jalebis, those bright orange spirals soaked in syrup, or gulab jamun, those little brown milk-based dumplings. I usually encourage the groups I lead to try everything. By the end, they’re all on a sugar high,” he chuckles.
The other unmistakable element is fireworks. “They build through the evening until midnight,” Mayank says. “Sparklers for the children, rockets that light up the whole sky. In Jaipur, you can stand on a rooftop and see fireworks 360 degrees around you. It’s spectacular.
“In Delhi, though, fireworks have been banned for pollution reasons. You’ll still see the odd rocket launched by someone who can’t resist, but it’s been significantly quieter for the last six years or so.”
For Exodus travellers lucky enough to be on our India tours during Diwali, the experience is unforgettable. “Jaipur is the best place to celebrate Diwali,” Mayank says without hesitation.
“The entire city is lit up – every market, every shop, even the government buildings are decorated with lights. The Pink City becomes golden for a few nights. You can walk through Johari Bazaar or Bapu Bazaar and feel as though the whole city has opened its doors to you. That’s why when I’m guiding groups during Diwali, I love to be in Jaipur. It’s where the festival feels the most alive.”
“Last year, we celebrated in Jaipur,” Mayank recalls. “After sightseeing, we walked through the old city markets, and honestly, it was like the whole place had dressed up for the occasion.”
“The pink facades were strung with lights, shopkeepers had hung garlands of marigolds over their doors, and every stall was piled high with sweets or stacks of little clay lamps. Families were out in their best clothes, children running around with sparklers, and you could smell jalebis frying alongside incense from the temples. ”
He continues, “Everywhere you turned, someone was wishing you ‘Shubh Diwali’. The atmosphere was like a Christmas market. Then we went to Dagla, a rooftop restaurant. As soon as we sat down, the fireworks started coming from every corner of the city. You’d take a bite, then suddenly everyone would turn to the other side of the terrace because another burst had lit up the sky. It wasn’t a single display; it was hundreds happening at once.”
Families, meanwhile, celebrate at home. The oldest member of the household hosts the gathering, and relatives arrive with children in tow. Together they make rangoli, light lamps, perform prayers (puja), to Lakshmi and Ganesha, the god of good luck, and share sweets. Businesses also perform puja in their shops and offices, inviting prosperity for the year ahead. “It’s as much about community as it is about ritual.”
Yet Diwali is not the same everywhere. Mayank explains, “In Northern India, it’s extroverted, big decorations, fireworks, lights everywhere. In the south, it’s quieter, more introverted. The traditions are there – cleaning, rangoli, prayers – but not on the same scale. And there’s also a different view of Ravana. In the north, he’s the demon king defeated by Rama. In parts of the south, people respect his wisdom and devotion to Shiva. They don’t always build effigies of him to burn, as they do in the north. So, it’s important to be sensitive and remember there are many perspectives.”
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When asked about his own favourite part, Mayank smiles. “It might sound simple, but I love the cleaning. Going through everything, giving away what you don’t need to charity, making space for something new… it really feels like a fresh start. And of course, I love the fireworks, especially the aerial ones. Maybe not the big bangs right next to my ears,” he laughs, “but the colourful ones in the sky.”
Diwali usually falls during peak guiding season, so Mayank often spends it with his groups instead of at home. “But my clients become my family,” he says warmly. “We celebrate together, sharing sweets, watching fireworks.”
The only difference, he explains, is that instead of being in his parents’ courtyard, he’s standing with travellers from five or six different countries, and yet the feeling is the same. That’s what makes it special. The festival doesn’t lose its meaning when you’re away from home; it just grows bigger, because you’re sharing it with the world.
For travellers, Mayank has a simple message. “If you can plan a trip to India during Diwali, You’ll be welcomed like family, and you’ll never forget it. The atmosphere is unlike anything else. It’s the best time of year to visit.”
After more than 15 years of guiding, Mayank knows that sharing stories is a big part of what makes travel meaningful. Whether he’s explaining the epics of Hinduism on a tour bus, guiding a group through a Jaipur market, or handing out gulab jamun to guests on Diwali night, his aim is the same: to connect people to the real spirit of India. “Every time I tell the story of Diwali,” he says, “I see travellers’ faces light up. It’s not just a festival, it’s India at its most joyful.”
